I can go the distance.

So much has changed since April 26. For one, I can say that at least for the time being (for the first time since December 2008), I don't have bridesmaid duties hanging over my head. For two, I can officially announce that I'm job searching again. I've been looking since March, but I got official word that there wasn't any funding to continue paying my paycheck, so my last day was last Thursday (I took advantage of the Memorial Day holiday and comp days for the remainder of May). I'm trying to apply for unemployment, but it appears that you have to follow the Department of Labor and Workforce Development's schedule to even apply online. For three, I'm also getting to deal with the aftermath of April 27's weather, since it dinged up my car pretty bad. I have to wait until October (yes- OCTOBER) to get my car fixed. Fingers crossed that I don't get pulled over for my taillight being out, since that got fried with the hail, and again, can't get an appointment until October.

Things that I've learned since April 26- don't take anything for granted. People seem determined to prove me wrong every step of the way this year. And when you cheer to "good riddance" at New Year's, be specific. Otherwise, you lose a lot more than you figure.

I'll try to spare readers my impatient/ pessimistic thoughts about the job front.

Some thoughts on 2010, 2011

I had a fun New Year's Eve with 2 of my oldest friends (with whom I have celebrated many recent NYEs) at First Night. We started the evening with dinner and toasting (since I wanted to be safe to drive after the ball dropped, we did our champagne toasts at about 7pm). Want to know what we toasted to? A happy new year, good riddance, our new year's resolutions (yeah, I'll spare myself the embarrassment of posting what my resolutions are), and so forth. So basically, lots of things to look forward too for 2011.

But speaking of "good riddance"... I've been attempting to fill collage picture frames all day. I found my high school and college graduation albums and started looking through them. Apparently I didn't get many pictures at HS graduation except with family and a few other people. College on the other hand... lots of pictures with friends (and again, family). I was a little shocked to realize how few of the people I was so close with in college I haven't spoken to in awhile. That place was home for four years, and those people were almost family... and yet we're coming up on 4 years since graduation (oh wow do I feel old) and I can safely say that at least half of those people I haven't spoken to since shortly after that date. Now, I am fully willing to take the blame for some. I haven't kept in contact the way I should have (and if you're reading this, I'm sorry). But then there's those other people... the ones that there are reasons why I haven't stayed in contact. Finding their pictures in that album wasn't so fun. I'm sure everyone has those... the ones that you seriously question whether you should toss them out of the album all together (and with technology the way it is, delete them from your computer memory too).

And yet, I can't bring myself to do it. I mean, several of those people are still in my phone memory. Friends with several on Facebook... though I don't know how much longer that will last. After all... if our friendship meant that little in real life, why pretend on the internet? But I'm just bringing up bad memories at this point.

For 2011, I'm hoping for a fresh start. As Jane Austen points out in Pride and Prejudice, "Think only of the past as its remembrance brings you pleasure." Easier said than done, but it's worth a shot. Good riddance to the bad, bring back the happy past!

And a happy new year to all!